Lead levels have tested too high again in drinking water at 10 schools in the Ithaca City School District, but the Tompkins County Health Department has questioned the validity of the results.

The district released new testing data Thursday, along with two letters that questioned the data.

"Recent sampling procedures may have produced inaccurate results," Ithaca City School District Superintendent Luvelle Brown wrote in a letter released Thursday. The letter appears on the school district's website.

Brown did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Ithaca Journal on Wednesday and Thursday.

TST BOCES shut off the valve at each fixture the night before sampling water from the 10 schools, which breaks Environmental Protection Agency guidance for testing, Tompkins County Environmental Health Director Elizabeth Cameron wrote in another letter.

The health department consulted the New York State Department of Health about the sampling inconsistency.

"Because of concerns with these improper sampling procedures, the results may not be representative of actual conditions and may have produced inaccurate results," Cameron wrote.

Among some of the highest results: A drinking fountain in room 217 at Northeast Elementary had lead at 265 parts per billion, and a fountain in the Rainbow Room at Belle Sherman Annex had lead at 470 ppb. The EPA standard for lead is 15 ppb.

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"A plan is being developed to retest all other buildings," Brown wrote in the letter. "Along with proper testing practices, investigation must be conducted to determine whether any remediation efforts are needed to produce compliant and safe water systems throughout our school district."

The school district is working with EPA Region 2 Administrator Judith Enck on sampling procedures, remediation efforts, and potential funding sources, he added. A third-party project leader will coordinate the EPA collaboration, water systems’ evaluations and action steps, Brown wrote.

"I appreciate our school community’s engagement and support as we address the very important and complex issue of water quality," Brown's letter stated.